Riyan Parag continues to go through a difficult phase, with Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour expressing confidence that the skipper will return to form soon. Despite a string of low scores, the Royals camp remains optimistic about their skipper’s ability to bounce back.
Parag’s struggles continued in the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders where he managed just 12 runs. Rajasthan Royals slipped to a four-wicket defeat at the Eden Gardens. Speaking after the match, Rathour played down the concerns and insisted that it was only a matter of time before Parag rediscovered his rhythm.
KKR vs RR: Highlights | Scorecard
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a matter of time. Not everybody runs every time. Teams run in such a way that some stay in form, some stay out of form. There’s no doubt he’ll come back and win us a few matches as a batsman on his own,” Rathour said in the post-match press conference.
“He has a lot of potential. There is nothing wrong with him. One thing is that he has come back from injury. He was playing less competitive cricket before he came to IPL. And IPL is a tough tournament. It is not an easy tournament,” he added.
While Rajasthan have enjoyed a solid start to their IPL 2026 campaign, Paragu’s form remains an issue. The captain also faced criticism, including former India chief selector Kris Srikkanthwhich questioned both his consistency and some of his captaincy calls, particularly in relation to bowling changes.
The defeat itself was dramatic. Rajasthan Royals posted 155/9 after a flying start led by 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46 off 28) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (39) to reach 81 for no loss. However, the innings lost steam as Varun Chakaravarthy (3/14) and Sunil Narine (2/26) triggered the collapse.
In response, KKR stumbled early but recovered thanks to Rinku Singh’s unbeaten 53 and Anukul Roy’s 29* to take the decider by 76 runs. Despite a late counter-attack from Kartik Tyagi, KKR chased down the target with two balls to spare to end the losing streak.
HOW PARAG DID IN IPL 2026
So far, Parago’s numbers reflect his struggles with the bat this season. In six innings, the Rajasthan Royals skipper scored just 61 runs at a success rate of 122, with a top score of 20.
The dip in form came despite his growing role in the team, both as a batsman and as a leader. While returns have yet to meet expectations, management support suggests they are willing to give it time to find its footing.
With the tournament entering a crucial phase, Rajasthan will be hoping that their skipper can turn things around quickly. A return to form from Parago could not only ease the pressure on the middle order, but also increase their push for the playoffs.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
20 Apr 2026 12:20 PM IST
